ljbradbury-blog

[ljbradbury-blog]

Life had started to resemble normal again. Almost. Slight differences made it new. Ace seemingly avoiding him had been one. After the festival and after how he had thrown punches at Theo, it may have been for the best. Though, the Richards’ alpha hadn’t been lucky enough to escape that talk from him. 

He got a piece of his mind about that fist fight all the same. 

Two toddlers were more behaved. He hadn’t appreciated how Theo had earned those bruises. It had been difficult to keep his promise, keep everything Mitchell outside on the curb. Hadn’t bee easy one bit. It had made Nicole want to double the amount of her perfume she tossed on him. That was stopped. Wolves were starting to talk. Small town like Echo, nothing was hidden for too long. Leland would much rather everyone know he and Theo were together; it was better than the entire town thinking he and Nicole were.

He never lied and being masked? That had seemed a lot like lying. So, when he had agreed to take pictures for the newspaper, he did so having come straight from Theo’s. 

A quick shower change of clothes and he had swung by the trailer park to grab his camera. The Pentax 645Z, which he could never afford, had been a gift from the family. A treasured possession that the omega had kept under a damn tight lock. 

It was a few still shots later before he looked down and made sure he still had enough room in the storage to grab a few more. The light had been right and the wolf was good looking. He’d draw the eye. Oddly, he matched the aesthetic around him. Everything seemed to just melt away when Leland had something else to focus on. This was something as good as anything else. The omega stepped up to him, clearing his throat on his approach. “Hey, uh, this might be weird t’ ya but can I get you in a picture for th’ local newspaper?”

@joelxsullivan

[ljbradbury-blog]

Are you an omega in the streets but an alpha in the sheets?

... Now that I’ve never heard before. I’m going to use it. That’s awesome. Someone needs to turn this into a t-shirt. And, nah. I’m not going to share. You’re just going need to keep that imagination of yours running!

[ljbradbury-blog]

deputydenver:

Shaking his head, Wyatt chuckles more so to himself. “It’s not them but more so me. Bit of a loner in my own right, typically off doing my own thing and so it’s not really on them.” He adds some context to why he’s not really made many friends or met most of the residents in the town. He was a busy body, and it didn’t often leave a ton of time to socialize or really establish anything other than necessary relationships.

While butter wasn’t the the healthiest option, Wyatt wouldn’t knock it because it was a really generous offer. “I’m a vegan, hence why I asked; but I’m guessing boy scouts?” Wyatt inquires as he points to how the meal is separated, knowing enough of his coworkers who talked highly on their experience in the boy scouts. Wyatt’s not shy when it comes to the food, reaching to scoop out a potato out and taking a healthy bite out of the hot tuber. 

When the other wolf produces metal bowls and sporks; there’s a slight blush that flushes over Wyatt, feeling a little bit eager to munch on the root vegetables. “I read a little bit about those while I was in Chile. Interesting stuff; unfortunately I was heading back up to the states and it was a late night read type of deal.” He spoke softly, a little interested in just how far this little country bumpkin kid stretched in the worldly span.

 “I think that was one of the requirements, silence after being in New York and then on the road for four years.” He chuckles, glad to of found a slower and quieter place to just live in. “I’m not particularly looking to fight with any specific pack; I’m not really buying into the pack politics stuff, I’m not in the Richards pack to oppose anyone. I joined so I might have a community to lean on if I need it and it was nice knowing I might have a social life if I wasn’t too busy when things were happening.” Wyatt dissects his reasoning out loud and shrugs. “Trying new things everyday right?” He spoke like it was nothing but the lifestyle change from being packless to within a pack is massively different; that much Wyatt was learning.

“I’ll keep that in mind, though I’ll have to you I did spend a year and a half undercover in a ruthless gang while at the NYPD, I can hold my own when I need to, pass that around will ya?” Wyatt mused, chuckling as it was mostly an idle threat as he never used his fighting skills if he didn’t have too; even while in the gang he tried to expend every other option first. 

There was a type of heaviness in the other’s voice and Wyatt wanted to ask, but knew that he didn’t have the relationship to have that ability and so he left it at that. “Ace owns the diner right? Kinda stoically angry or at lest that I’ve seen.” He chuckles some and sighs. “Don’t worry man, he’s an asshole in most situations whether it’s from seeing some shit in his day or just because he’s bitter about something I don’t know; but he doesn’t strike me as an unnecessarily cruel man. He’ll come around just give him time.” Wyatt parts with some wisdom and scoops some the the shared meal into his mouth.

“God I love being vegan, but if you don’t plan proper meals you starve during my many roams.” He sighs as he forks another bite into his mouth.

“That has to be different now that you’re in a pack, don’t it?” That had been a concept that was hard for the omega to grasp. He’d always been friendly to wolves, even if they weren’t in his pack. It was rare for even a Richards’ wolf to push his buttons. That could have been due to how stupid he thought the rivalry had been. “But, your in Theo’s pack. I ain’t being an ass but it seems a common trait with y’all is how y’all keep to yourselves. Mitchell’s, we tend to be more outthere. Gotta be the loudest in the room.”

It was easy to notice the traits of the three packs. Hell, Leland had noticed him by time he was ten. Richards’ were more reserved and withdrawn. Mitchell’s were more prone to be the loudest. Danver’s typically seemed to be a mix of the two. Maybe he just saw it because in all the video games he played where differents sides were involved, it was easy to notice a trend.

Hell, in World of Warcraft everyone thought the Horde was the antagonists. Truth had been, the Alliance were more villanious, at least to Leland. Different angles showed. Wyatt drew his attention. Brows raised near to his hairline.

“Uh, yeah. My ma wanted me to join and Daniel thought it would be good for me.” Once Wyatt started to eat, he wasn’t shy about digging into his own plate. He ignored the potato mostly and instead went for the greens.

He snorted. Maybe he would like Wyatt after all. “S’all bullshit I think. From what I can get, we are supposed to hate each other because we divided.” Slowly, he shrugged his shoulders. “I mean, that is enough to make it sting a little but after a while? It’s more like everyones being four year olds stampin’ their feet.”

There is a spark of protectiveness when Wyatt started on about Ace. He chewed a little more forcefully. Looked more off in the distance. Bit his tongue. It was like the only people who were allowed to called Ace an asshole was pack.

And Theo.

The randomness of the wolf’s words were enough to break him away from what could’ve been an awkward burst of anger. Leland shook his head and ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek. “Don’t be that kind of wolf! Awesome that you like being vegan but you should see some of the stick-up-their-asses we get at the diner sometim’. You don’t seem like one of them s’all I’m saying.”

[ljbradbury-blog]

hartirons:

Hart nodded his head. He didn’t ask Leland to extrapolate, feeling it wasn’t his place and that the wolf more than likely didn’t want to speak on it with a stranger. Especially not one who’d he more than likely would see again. Hart welcomed the question and slight change in subject. “I’m a lawyer.” A small smirk eased its way on his face in anticipation for Leland’s reaction.

Oh, there was an awkward silence. Leland was well aware of it. Couldn’t help it even if he wanted to. A grin broke out on his lips. Amusement tugged sharply at the corners. Seconds ticked by before he finally snorted. “How are you a lawyer? You ain’t a soulless dick.”

He canted his head to one side. Attention diverted to pull his meal off the fire before he spared another glance up at the wolf. “I mean, y’ don’t seem like a dick. Or soulless. Thought all lawyers sold their souls when they took their oath or something.”

[ljbradbury-blog]

Hey Leland! What are your most desirable qualities in a potential partner?

‘Sup!

That’s a damn formal way of saying what I look for in a boy / girlfriend ain’t it? Honestly, it’s about the chemistry. How we click. I like a wolf that’s straight up with me. Let’s be level here, okay? They need to honest and have a bit of a strong personality. I’m a weird wolf. If you haven’t noticed, I got my own little bubble with making my videos but outside of that? I’m honestly a bit lazy. 

Okay, a lot lazy. I got to have someone that sparks motivation to actually move. A playful nature ain’t half bad either. I just want someone that I can relax against while I’m trying to own some eleven year old on Call of Duty.

Which reminds me that maybe someone that doesn’t mind I still got a young outlook on life. That would be a bonus.

[ljbradbury-blog]

What are a few things that you think make living in a small town better for you?

I would have to say … definitely my alpha. I could of had the most rotten luck and not have one like him. He’s protective of all of us. He don’t realize how protective of him a few of us are or the lengths we would go. Or he does and he isn’t so much of a dick to rub it in our faces. I mean. Sign of a good alpha is the length someone would go to and how willing they’d be to give. But, nah. I don’t really hold him on that high of a pedestal at the same time. Hold someone too high and they’re meant to topple is what my mom says.

He’s still a jerk.

There’s a few other alphas what may make this place a bit more awesome. Well, one. He knows who he is without me having to say it. He became a good friend fast. I’ve always tended to make friends easily with how laid back I can be. But, he’s got there quick. And I wouldn’t be anywhere without the support of friends. Which brings me to saying of fucking course I got to mention Nicole and Patrick. My two crazy partners-in-crime. Without them, I would be a whole lot less saner and a whole of a hell meaner.

[ljbradbury-blog]

hartirons:

Zachariah had the biggest smile on his face as he looked up at Leland, which Hart immediately knew he had hours of listening to the three channels that Leland had just put on his sons radar. Though he supposed Zach felt the same when Hart played hours of NPR. Once the music started the pup looked away and focused on the video instead.

“You did?” Hart asked as he looked back at Leland from his son. “That’s unfortunate,” he acknowledged. “Though you could still be apart of the sport with a bum knee. Not as a player of course, but there’s coaches, trainers, and all that jazz. A friend of mine got into a major accident shortly after going pro in drag racing and now he’s a crew chief.”

Leland snorted and shook his head. “Nah, I got in it to prove I ain’t just my gender. Proved myself and all that.” He waved it off. It had been fun and he could have made a name for himself - for Echo. It was just an old dream that started to fade. 

He liked being a small town wolf anyway. The big cities would hate him. Las Vegas had been the only bigger city he’d gone to and it nearly killed him - at least his wallet - every time he went. “I’m too laid back to be a coach or somethin’. I’m good with just being a cook for Ace and a disappointment to my parents.” He grinned. “What do you do?”

[ljbradbury-blog]

[ljbradbury-blog]

mallorydunn:

Mallory had ditched Mer after five seconds of suffering through his presence for a whole thirty minutes. He’d spent the majority of the festival wandering around, getting tugged into different booths by people who knew him or recognized him. He hadn’t wanted to come but, it wasn’t all that bad, everything considered. 

Sure, he’d had an awful flower crown placed on his head, had allowed some little girl to paint flowers and hearts on his face, and he’d had two – three, fuck, he stopped counting – beers at this point. 

Which was how he found himself by the picnic tables, hungry, and only slightly tipsy. He was an alpha, alright? Injury aside, he could hold his liquor. Mostly. 

Ah, whatever. 

He scrunched up his nose, some awful perfume assaulting his senses. He glanced sideways at the kid stuffing his face full of fries reeking of it. “You do realize you smell like Macy’s had a sale on their perfumes and you tried on every single one of them?” he asked, a bit unkindly. Then, without asked, he stole a fry off the kid’s plate. If he recalled correctly, he was on of Mitchell’s rapscallions. “And your fries taste like shit.” 

Had Leland been another Mitchell, there would have been a punch thrown. He let the remarks roll off him, even let the wolf steal a fry. “Yeah, they ain’t good.”

He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he tried to place the face. The scent that wafted from the alpha was enough to make him glad he smelled like someone dunked him in a bath of perfume. 

A sigh pushed passed his lips. It wasn’t like he cared if anyone knew he and Theo were together. Dating. He was just trying to save Theo . . . and Ace a headache. No need to start something. Not that Leland often did. He was friendly with everyone. Even alphas who were more dicks than friendly. “My friend did it. She didn’t like how I smelled. She don’t like how I smell after a heat.” Wait, he looked familiar. “Where do I know you from?”

[ljbradbury-blog]

[ljbradbury-blog]

top 10 things u look for in an alpha

You mean like in an alpha in general or the stereotype where an omega needs an alpha to be happy? I’ll pretend you mean the first because the second? Kind of setting back the omega equal rights act a couple of hundred years, man.

They got to be strong. I don’t mean physically. Nah, this type of strength is from character. The type that does wear a wolf down overtime. Weight of the world type of thing.

They can’t be afraid to get their hands dirty. I mean. An alpha who will literally throw a punch for their pack (or tackle a cop not that has happened here, nope) is kinda hawt and awesome.

Ain’t afraid to at least sit down once a week with you and get his or her ass handed to them at Call of Duty or help you through zombie mode. Also, ain’t afraid to have a movie night or watch your favorite television show with ya. Even if he talks through all of it.

Knows how to own their shit and ain’t afraid to admit when they were in the wrong.

Know how to have fun.

Bring you french fries when you’re sick. Bonus points if they fix them there at your house so they’re fresh and hot. Because, that shit matters. Cold fries are belong to Satan.

Tends to but the fuck into your business even if you don’t want them to.

Flannel. Always.

Knows how to fix shit or good with their hands. Do you know how often my truck breaks down and I can’t afford a mechanic?

Will not hesitate to pick you up and throw you in the fucking lake just because.

I don’t know about the last one. Could only think of a few. You’re welcome anon!

[ljbradbury-blog]

How do you feel about your alpha?

He ain’t a superhero or nothing but he’s pretty awesome. I look up to him and try to make him proud of me whenever I can. He’s the kind of wolf that can make you shut up with just a look. Also, I don’t know what magic he has but he knows how to make french fries taste awesome! I mean, I know it’s just you dump them in the fryer but he has to do something to them. Because, they are the best there is. If you are ever in Echo, go to Sunny Side Up Diner and order some. You will not be disappointed by them or my alpha.

[ljbradbury-blog]

[ljbradbury-blog]

@theorichards

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